Iran will not attend peace talks on the Syrian civil war due to take place in Switzerland this month, senior State Department officials said on Friday.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that barring a dramatic change in Tehran's position, Iran would neither participate formally in the January 22 talks nor join informally on the sidelines.

"That's right, they're not coming," said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. (Reuters)